Unexpected present
by candy-belle
Summary: John offers Randy a Christmas he'll never forget. Slash fix featuring hurt/comfort, true friendship, implied sexual tension and an oblivious little girl.


**Title:** Unexpected present  
><strong>Rating:<strong> 12  
><strong>Summary:<strong> John offers Randy a Christmas never to be forgotten  
><strong>Featuring:<strong> Randy, John and Alanna with a fleeting mention of Sam  
><strong>Warning:<strong> hurt/comfort, true friendship, implied sexual tension and an oblivious little girl  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> This story is based on characters/people of WWE. No copyright or trademark infringement is intended and no money is being made.  
><strong>Notes:<strong> Written as a Christmas Present for my darling dreamscarred who is one of the best friends a girl could ever ask for *massive hugs* Hope this fulfills your christmas wish, hun. As always this is unbeta'd so any mistakes you find, please, please, please forgive (I mean it PLEASE!)

X x x x x x x x x x x

Randy closed the bedroom door softly behind him. He had finally got Alanna to drop off. It hadn't been easy, ever since Sam's death Alanna had been increasingly clingy. So much so that that it had reached the point where Randy couldn't leave a room without his daughter clamped to his leg. Not that he blamed her, somehow having her nearby made the loss easier bear for him as well. Making his way through to his study he sank into his computer chair and sighed again. He had no idea how he was going to get through the holiday period. Sam had always taken care of all the arrangements; all he had ever had to do was turn up and, in the last few years at least, keep Alanna occupied while Sam worked her magic on the house and the food. But now they were alone. It was just the two of them and he no idea where to start.

Flicking the mouse with his hand he cocked his head questioningly as he saw an IM flashing on the screen. Leaning in his frown turned into a half smile as he recognised the avatar blinking at him. Hitting the show button he shook his head laughing at the step by steps instructions listed on the screen. Within minutes he had the Skype programme loaded and he was logged on, wincing slightly when he saw his picture at the bottom of the screen – he looked rough. Not that he had time to think about it as suddenly the screen burst into life he was confronted with the grinning face of his best friend.

"What the hell d'you want, Johnny?" he asked with a playful growl of anger, "D'you have any idea what time it is?"

"Yep," grinned John winking at him, "I'm just checking in to see how my two favourite people in the world are doing." He waited and when Randy made no response he prompted with a snigger, "That's your cue to tell me how you."

"We're fine," lied Randy, not actually looking at the screen, knowing if he did John would see his growing despair.

"Yeah right," snorted John disbelievingly, "And I'm not going through the worse few months of my life…" he hesitated then added, "Seriously though how you holding up?"

Randy bit the inside of his lip. It wasn't in his nature to admit that he couldn't cope but he was coming dangerously close to it. The stress of raising Alanna on his own, the increased work commitments and now the added pressure of the holiday were all combining to push him closer and closer to breaking point.

"Ortz?" prompted the grinning vision on the screen, "Come on, talk to me." He paused then offered sincerely, "You know you can tell me anything."

"I know," rumbled Randy his eyes flickering up a moment to hold the brilliant blue gaze staring at him from out the screen. But almost instantly he looked away unable to bare the honest affection he saw in John's gaze. Running a hand over his face he leant back and murmured, "I don't know what to do."

"About?" prompted John after a few moment's strained silence.

"Christmas."

"Oh."

For several moments both men were silent, lost in their won depressingly sad thoughts.

"Sam used to take care of everything," confessed Randy still not quite looking at the image on the screen, "And now I...I want Alanna to have a good Christmas to try and help her move on but I'm so scared I'm going to mess up, that I'm going to make this worse and…"

"Randy, stop it!" ordered John leaning closer to the screen, "You know she adores you just being with you makes things right for her. She just needs to be with people that she knows and who love her in return and…" his voice faded and then with a sudden grin he exclaimed, "Don't move I'll be right back" and before Randy could reply the screen went blank.

Randy huffed in annoyance but years of friendship had taught him that if John said wait then there was normally a very good reason to obey him.

He did a few minutes later grinning like a fool and with such a mischief look in his eyes Randy couldn't help the mistrusting frown or stop himself from growling, "What have you done?"

"What make you think I've done anything?" asked John falling miserably at his attempt to look innocent.

"I know you," snapped Randy gruffly, although the twitch of his lips took away any heat in the words.

"Yeah well, let's just say I pulled a few strings. I need you to go pack enough bags to carry what you and Alanna need for a week."

Randy blinked in surprise then stammered, "What? Pack...why?" slowly as his brain caught up with what John was saying, he asked gruffly, "What have you done?"

"Made arrangements so that you can get a proper rest, Alanna can have a proper Christmas and…" his voice caught in his throat a moment and it took him several attempts before he managed to added, "…and I get to spend Christmas with people who actually mean something to me for once in my life."

"John, I…" breathed Randy, his heart aching at the look John was giving him.

"Please," whispered John, "Let me do this. Randy I…" he faded into silence and for a moment he looked so uncomfortable it was almost painful to look at him but before Randy could do anything to try and ease his best friends pain John pulled himself together. Clapping his hands, he offered Randy a grin that didn't' quite reach his eyes, as he ordered, "You better get moving. The car is arriving at six am. I've got you booked first class the next flight out and hopefully by tomorrow evening you and Alanna will be cluttering up my lounge."

Randy stared at the screen totally and utterly lost for words.

X x x x x x x x

"Uncle John!" squealed Alanna jumping out of the limo as soon as it pulled up.

John knelt down and caught the little girl mid squeal, wrapping his arms around her. Scooping her up, he spun her around making her shriek with delight. Setting the now giggling Alanna on his hip, he looked over at Randy who was getting their bags from the driver and sighed. With an almost sad smile John wandered closer waiting for Randy to turn around before he called, "You made it then?"

"How could we not?" rumbled Randy his eyes searching John's face. His best friend looked so tired it was almost painful to look at him and he could see the strain the last few months had taken on the normally happy man. But before Randy could make a comment, John had turned away and walking away.

"Yeah well enough standing out here," called John, jostling Alanna in his arms, "Come on inside, I've got everything ready for you both." He lowered Alanna down and taking her hand he led her into the house.

The squeal of joy that echoed around the over decorated lounge was ear splitting and as Randy corrected, "Al, use your inside voice!" John nudged him chuckling, "Leave her be, when was the last time you saw her sparkle like that?"

John did have a point. For the first time in months Alanna was laughing and smiling freely and it was sight that did more to sooth Randy's heart than anything. Shooting his best friend a sideways glance he stared at him for a moment, thinking not for the first time that John had one the biggest hearts he had ever known. He knew too it hurt John not to have someone he could share that heart with as well.

As Alanna took off into the kitchen in search of John's dogs, Randy drew in a deep breath and murmured, "Thank you."

"For what?" asked John looking slightly confused.

"This," breathed Randy stepping closer, closing the gap between them to little more than a hair's breadth.

They were standing so close John had to tilt his head slightly to look up. The position meant that each man could feel the other's breath on their own lips as they stared at each other. It was a stare they had shared countless times before. A stare they had shared so many times in the ring, when the intensity of their supposed rivalry burnt the air. It was a look that was fast becoming the stuff of legends. But it was also the same look they had shared many year ago. Back before wives and girlfriends and daughters, back when they had been rookies together, back when they had been forced to share a bed because they could only been able to afford single rooms. Back to a time when they had shared intimate moments together that both treasured but now never mentioned.

"John…" whispered Randy gulping audibly as John leant in.

John's lips ghosted against Randy's cheek as he closed the gap between them and whispered in Randy's ear, "I've missed you."

Randy closed his eyes, a strangled whimper escaping his throat as he felt John's body press against his. For the first time in months he suddenly felt something other than emptiness and as he felt John's hand flare on his hip he bit his lower lip fighting to stop the words burning his throat. Turing his head slightly he absently rubbed his cheek against the side of John's face, relishing the rasping caress of the stubbled cheek. For a moment neither man moved both terrified of breaking the spell and yet neither wanting it to end.

But suddenly the moment was broken by Alanna reappearing and tugging on Randy's hand insisting that he followed her out to the kitchen to see the decorations out there. Randy gave John an apologetic smile that was met with an understanding nod the head. But as Randy moved away, allowing his little daughter to lead the way, John couldn't help the sad sigh or the look of wistful longing from clouding his face. And he wasn't nearly quick enough to hide it when Randy looked back over his shoulder at him, the normally fearsome viper grinning like a fool as he called, "I think she wants you to see this as well, John"

Jerked out of his thoughts John hurried to catch them up. Grinning happily Alanna reached up to take his hand as well as she pulled both of them into the kitchen, the excited little girl jabbering away at them, totally aware of the look the two men where sharing over the top of her head. A look that left John grinning like a fool and Randy smirking like a naughty school boy as they both realised that maybe Christmas wasn't going to be the lonely hell they had both anticipated and maybe, just maybe, the promise they had made each other all those years ago was finally going to come true.

FIN x


End file.
